Mio ad definitely hard to miss

Summertime brings a wealth of ads for beer, iced teas and other cold drinks. This commercial from Taxi 2 kicks off the Canadian launch of Mio by Kraft, a sugar-free liquid water enhancer that comes in several flavours. Since launching in the U.S. last year, Mio has racked up more than US$100-million in sales. Will The Ad Missions team like the taste?

— Alanna Nathanson is a partner and creative director at Giants and Gentlemen in Toronto.

This spot for Kraft Mio wins on a lot of fronts. It is funny and odd, while cleverly weaving in the product benefit throughout the commercial. The product is in a traditionally conservative category, which makes the ad even more impressive. And though the technique of cutting back and forth as comical changes occur is not new — think Skittles — they do it well here. I love the creativity of the scenarios and laughed out loud at the final “change.” The art direction is richly detailed and the fact that absolutely everything changes right down to the cubicle mate’s hairdo means I notice something new with each viewing. Plus, I remember what the ad is for, which just goes to show that you can be both quirky and strategic. Kudos to Kraft for being open to that.

— Darren Dahl is a marketing professor at University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.

Wow. What do they put in this stuff? And is it legal? This ad has wackiness in spades — it attracts attention — and that is definitely a good thing for a new product introduction. Indeed, most new product introductions fail, and simply getting noticed is perhaps the toughest thing to achieve coming out of the gate. Therein lies the danger of this particular ad execution. In the drive to get noticed, the ad pushes the wacky limit perhaps too far. If the target is youth, then the offbeat nature of the ad might break the clutter and appeal to a cohort that likes to see boundaries pushed. However, if the desire is to hit a broader market, then the zany shtick is much less likely to be successful. Tuning out the silliness is something older generations also learn how to do … right out of the gate.

— Brent Choi is chief creative officer at Cundari in Toronto.

This spot is really fun to watch. And not just once, but over and over again. I keep finding new things I like about it. For example, just recently I noticed the hand at the very end of the spot that ridiculously features the different flavours — awesome. The creative idea completely delivers on the product benefit of Mio offering different experiences depending on the amount one uses. It is memorable, for sure. And it definitely breaks through. The director and agency did a great job. I love the casting, particularly at the end. Overall, the performances are very good. My only other note is that this “back and forth, wardrobe and character change” is starting to get a little trendy. It still feels relatively fresh, but soon it won’t be. Let’s see which brand does it next and grill them!